Syrhea Conway

A Life in Balance

I met with Syrhea Conway (Syna So Pro) at the Gelateria on South Grand to plan her shoot. We ended up in one of those long-ranging philosophical discussions that's completely engrossing, and then when it's over you wonder if anyone was listening in and reporting to their social media about these existential weirdos at the next table drinking tea.

The main theme for Syrhea right now is equilibrium. Trying to find the right balance of energy, and stay positive, rise above what's going on in the world and reach for something better and higher and hopeful. We talked about being caught up in technology and trying not to be dragged into it. We talked about materialism and getting older, and trying to lead lives in which we own less and experience more. We talked about trying to chose a positive perspective and believing in our own power.

This concept came to me right away, and turned out even more beautifully than I had envisioned. We shot this in my studio, and I need to give a big thanks to Eve Abaray who assisted in the complicated behind-the-scenes it took to orchestrate this pose, and to a very patient Syrhea, who used all her yoga skills to keep hopping and stretching on command for an hour. 

I hope this image captures all the power, grace and sheer force of will contained in this amazing lady who, like us all, is trying to reach for the light.

All images ©2017 Susan Bennet/Ooh St. Lou Studios. All Rights Reserved.


Model: Syrhea Conway - Syna So Pro

Costume: Model's own

Photo Assistant: Eve Abaray

See more of this series here.


Here are a few outtakes from our session, we had a lot of fun playing with fans and fabric after we nailed the main shot.

Portrait Photography Conceptual